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France

‘Terrain Vague’ is a term for spaces that have been unintentionally transformed as the result of design and planning action. The short film reveals the qualities of a Terrain Vague and its users in Versailles in an urgent but poetic tone, inspired by the work of Jem Cohen. ‘Terrain Vague’ is an ode to urban margins everywhere that highlights the shelter these places offer to people that find themselves, either through choice or misfortune, outside of the norms society. The explored terrain in the film is the indirect consequence of planning regulations related to the nearby Palace and Gardens of Versailles. Large parts of the urban fabric of the relatively small town of Versailles cannot be significantly altered due to the UNESCO heritage status of the Palace and Gardens. The development and use of these heritage sites are under strict control as a way to manage, preserve and propagate narratives in the collective memory. The static character of the heritage site has led to the developing of a modern margin to host activities, people and developments that are deemed not fitting within the cultural narrative. As such the Terrain Vague provides space for the people and functions that do not comply with the aesthetic and societal standards of heritage preservation.

Denmark

Lynetteholm is an artificial island off the coast of copenhagen planned to be finished in 50 years. The project is yet another example of anthropocentric architectural expansion. I expanded it upon the lens of ecofeminism, by putting into question this human urge to colonize the landscape and species living in it. I used essay film as the medium; sometimes footage from Copenhagen zoo, symbolizing the colonial history and human supremacy, blends in with actual footage from the construction site. As the voice-over, I asked a friend of mine, to answer a question: "what would you put on an island if you had an island"?

Georgia

The film is about the milk that gold and other ore mining companies distribute to employees to protect their health.

Azerbaijan

The movie is filmed around the streets of suburban districts of Baku. The background voices are from the YouTube interviews/archives about LGBTI+ experiences from the general public and personal archives . Occasionally, different media platforms carry out public surveys and interviews about queer experiences in the streets of Baku and the results are mostly very hateful and alarmingly homophobic and transphobic. Many people see queerness as a major sin or health issue, or just deny the community's existence by just simply ignoring LGBTI+s. The phobia against the community affects trans people and particularly trans sex workers the most and unfortunately, many trans folks are the victims of hate crimes in the country. For the past 5 years, Azerbaijan is ranked as the most dangerous and worst country to live in for LGBTI+s by ILGA-Europe. Rising homophobia and transphobia raise major concerns for the community and the film addresses the realities of public opinions about the queer community.

Albania

The Skanderbeg Square is a beautiful place and space for inclusion in daily life in Tirana. The site welcomes you the way you are, the way you move, the way you sound and the way you appear. When I first came to the square I was overwhelmed by its diversity and complexity. I got inspired to use the inclusive concept of football to get in contact with locals in Tirana and create the Dreamteam of Skanderbeg Square.

Azerbaijan

“Baku is a charming, progressive and clean city with all the high glass buildings, and the unique architectural hybrid from Zaha Hadid Design to social-modernist architecture” - is the thought of most privileged people who have not seen beyond the city center. City design and built environment in Baku is chaotic and unorganized, and mass instruction is always going on. There is a big contrast in design where one could see astonishing beauty on the outside, but when you look on the inside, you see all the suffering, ugliness, and disorder that has been going on since the 1990s. Baku is the biggest center of economy, trade, arts&culture, and education and is the home of the largest job market in the country. Beginning from the late 20th century, the city’s population began skyrocketing with an influx of refugees and forced migrants (due to the war), then later with the oil boom that expanded many job sectors in the region and drove many to the capital in search of work. The rapidly growing population and the economy of Baku pressured the government to advance the “image” and the city's international recognition, which led to a fast growth of infrastructure, architecture, and design. The city hosted major international events throughout the 2010s up until now. Steady growth created a pretty image on the outside but left many behind living in the surrounding neighborhoods of Baku. Most of the streets in suburban areas are in bad condition which challenges many people with disabilities. The design of the streets is relatively inclusive around the center, however, most of the ramps are almost a "décor" more than a useful tool. Other design elements in the city that are supposedly inclusive are also very ill-measured and play the role of "décor" rather than a useful tool for people with disabilities.